Automatic valve-operating mechanism.



FfD. KASTNER.

AUTOMATIC VALVE OPERATING MECHANISM.

APPLICATION FILED AUG. 7. 1913.

Patented Oct. 20, 1914.

r rs w V .l

M AQN ltiuumi 1 MN NN Nhl m 6mm, a

P. D. KASTNER.

AUTOMATIC VALVE OPERATING MECHANISM.

APPLICATION FILED AUG. 7, 1913. 1,1 14,145, Patented 00t.20,1914.

' 2 sHBETs-sHBET 2.

e .m 0 t k I D O m WN D NM N N /l/l/Il/l/l/ll/IAalllllllllllllllllll wy a W LIS m t v UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

AUTOMATIC VALVE-OIERATING IVIECIHIAINISIVI.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Oct. 20, 1914.

Application filed August 7, 1913. Serial No. 783,589.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, FREDERICK D. KAST- nun, a citizen of the United States, residing at Salina, in the county of Saline and State of Kansas, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Automatic ,Valve- Operating Mechanism; and I do declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, suchas will enable others skilled in the art to whichit appertains to make and use the same.

This invention relates to improvements in automatic valve operating mechanism.

One object of the invention is to provide an automatic valve operating mechanism designed particularly for use in connection with the water supply for motor pumps whereby the flow of the water to the motor is automatically controlled.

Another object is to provide a device of this character which will be simple, strong, durable and inexpensive in construction, ef-

ficient and reliable in operation and well adapted to the purpose for which it is designed.

With these and other objects in view, the invention consists of certain novel features of construction, and the combination and arrangement of parts as will be more fully described and claimed.

In the accompanying drawings: Figure 1 is a top plan view of my improved valve; Fig. 2 is a vertical longitudinal section taken on the line 2-2 of Fig. 1; and showing the parts in position for closing the bypass valve; Fig. 3 is a similar view showing the parts in position for opening the bypass valve; Fig. 1 is a vertical cross section taken on the line 4-4 of Fig. 2; Fig. 5 is a similar view taken on the line 5-5 of Fig. 2.

My improved valve operating mechanism comprises a supporting frame 1 which is in the form of a rectangular tray 2 the ends of which extend upwardly at a slight angle and for a considerable distance above the tray as shown. One of the upwardly extending ends of the tray terminates in the form of a combined four-way fitting and valve casing 3 which is disposed parallel with the tray 2 as shown. To the upper branch Let the fitting is connected a water supply pipe 5 which leads to and is connected with the city water supply. To the lower branch (5 of the fittingis connected a dischargepipc 7 which leads to and is connected with the motor pump (not shown) operated by the water supply. The outer end branch 8 of the fitting has connected thereto a by-pass pipe 9 which connects with the discharge or waste pipe of the motor. The inner end branch 10 of the fitting is closed by a. packing nut 11 through which is adapted to work the stem of a valve hereinafter described.-

In the combined 3 ht the inner end of the by-pass connecting branch 8 is formed a valve seat 12 with which is adapted to be engaged a plug valve 13 which may be of any suitable construction but which is preferably in the form of a tapered body of rubber or other suitable material which is adjustably secured to the inner end, of a valve stem nuts 15 as shown. The valve stem 11 works through the end bent at right angles to form a stud 16 for connection with the valve operating mechanism hereinafter described.

Formed on one side of the-tray 2 is an upwardly projecting bearing post 17 to the upper end of which is pivotally connected a valve operating lever 18 having a forked or bifurcated lower end 19 and on its upper end an apertured head with which the stud fitting and valve casing packing nut 11 and has its outer 1 1 by clamping 16 on the'valve stem 14 is pivotally engaged,

which is connected a pipe 25 which leads to and is connected with the soft water discharge pipe of the motor (not shown). A fluid-tight connection is formed between the nipple 2 1 and the pipe 25 by means of a stuffing box 26 withwhich the nipple is pro vided. The inner end of the nipple communicates with thefadjacent end of the spring casing 23 through angular-1y disposed fluid inl ports 27 through which the fluid in the tank is permitted to enter this end of thevvalve casing for a purpose hereina-fter described. I

Slidably mounted in the valve easing or 'cylinder23 is a piston 28 having a cuppresent invention to overcome by a clamping plate 30 and clamping nut 31 which are screwed onto the end of a piston rod 32 which is preferably square for a distance corresponding substantially to the length of the spring casing or cylinder 23, said squared portion of the piston rod working through a square aperture in the disk or spider 22, arranged in the spring casing or cylinder 23 and coiled around the piston rod 32 between the piston 28 and the spider 22 is a coiled piston retracting spring 33. The outer end of the piston rod may be round and is bent to form an elongated or substantially rectangular loop 32 which, is disposed above one side of the frame 1 as shown.

Formed on the side of the tray 2 of the frame directly opposite to the post 17 is a bearing lug 34 on which is pivotally mounted an upwardly projecting lever operatmg arm 35 on the upper end of which is arranged a weight 36 the purpose/of which will be hereinafter described. On the pivoted end of the arm 35 is a laterally projecting stop lug 37 which, when the lever operating arm 35 is swung over to the left or to a position for causing the valve operating lever 18 toopen the valve 13, will engage the bottom of the tray 2 and thus limit the movement of the arm 35 in this direction. Arranged on and preferably formed integral with the arm 35 a suitable distance above the pivoted lower end thereof and in position to engage the lever 18 is a laterally projecting tapered stud 38 the outer end of which projects'between the formed end 19 of the lever and is adapted to be brought into engagement with one or the other of the fingers thereof when the arm 35 is swung in one direction or the other. In the bottom ofthe tray portion 2 of the frame 1 is formed a centrally disposed drain opening 39 through which any water leaking through the pack ing nut 11, may pass.

As hereinbefore stated my improved valve operating mechanism is designed particularly for use in connection with the water supply" or operating motor pumps and especially for motor pumps for forcing or pumping soft water. from cisterns into a closed tank "under air compression and located in the basement or other part of the building. In other forms of motor pumps employed for this purpose there is a great deal of water wasted in the operation of the motor and it is the principal object of the or decrease in a great measure the loss br waste ofthis water. With this end in view, it will be seen, that by means of the construction heree water in sure or a pressure suflicient to overcome the reslstance of the'spring 33 in the casing 23,

the forked lower end 19 of said lever, a

the pressure of this water which enters the spring casing 23 through the pipe 25 will force the piston back into'the cylinder, thus projecting the piston rod 32 a sufiicient distance to swing the lever operating arm '35 over toward the opposite side of the frame 1 and past the center of gravity of this lever whereupon the weight 36 on the upper end of the arm will swing the latter to the full limit of its movement as is clearly shown in Figs. 2 and 3 of the drawings. The arm 35 when thus swung over by its weight 36 will bring the stud 38 thereof into forcible engagement with the opposite finger of the forked lower end of the lever 18, thus swinging the upper end of said lever in a reverse direction. This movement of the lever 18 will retract the valve 13 thus opening the by-pass of the valve casing or fitting 3.

en the by-pass is thus opened the pressure of'the'water will be removed from the motor as the greater part of the water will pass from the water supply pipe 5 directly into the by-pass pipe 9 and by this pipe will be carried around the motor. As soon as the pressure in the tank has lowered to a sufficient extent to permit the spring 33 to again expand, the piston 28 in the valve casing will be moved outwardly, thus swinging the valve operating arm 35 in the reverse direction. The reverse movement of the arm 35 will bring the stud 38 thereon into engagement with the opposite finger of the valve operating lever, thus rocking the latter in the proper direction for closing the by-pass valve and again permitting the water supply to pass directly to the motor. By this arrangement it will be seen that the flow of the water to the motor is automatically conrolled by the pressure or amount of water pumped into the tank by the motor pump in connection with which this device is employed.

From the foregoing description taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, the construction and operation of the invention will be readily understood without requiring a'more extended explanation. Various changes inthe form, proportion, and the minor details of construction may be resorted to without departing from the principle or sacrificing any of the advantages of the invention as claimed.

' Having thus described my invention, what claim is: '1. In a device of the class described, a supporting frame, longitudinally spaced valve and'piston casings mounted on said frame in the same horizontal plane, a valve seat at the outer end of said valve casing, 1

a valve for engagement with said seat, a lever fulcrumed intermediately of its ends on said frame, a valve stem attached to said valve and engaged with the upper end of piston rod extending through the casing thereof with its free end bent to form a loop, an arm pivoted to one end of said frame and having a weight on its free end and means on its other end for limiting the swinging movement of said arm in one direction, said arm extending through said piston rod loop and limited in its opposite movement thereby, means on said arm for engaging the free end of said lever and a pressure controlled piston fixed on said piston rod for operating said rod and actuating said arm to shift said lever in opposite directions.

2. In a device of the class described, a frame having a combined four-way fitting and vali e easing thereon, a Water supply pipe and by-pass pipe connected with said valve casing and fitting, a pipe to connect the fitting with a motor pump, a valve in said valve casing designed to open and close said by-pass pipe, a stem connected with said valve, a valve operating lever pivoted in said frame and connected at one end with said valve stem, said lever having its other end forked, a valve operating arm pivotally mounted in said frame and having an over-balancing Weight, a stop on said arm. for engagement with said frame to limit the movement of the arm in one direction, a stud carried by said arm and adapted to engage the forked end of said valve operating lever, whereby the latter is actuated-by said arm to open and close said valve when said arm is swung in one direction or the other, a spring casing arranged on said frame, a piston slidably mounted in said casing and adapted to be moved in one direction by fluid pressure, a spring to move said piston in the opposite direction, and a piston rod connected with the piston and having a loose connection with said lever operating arm.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand in presence of two subscribing witnesses.

FREDERICK D. KASTNER. Witnesses:

J. W. SIMMONS, C. H. WYATT. 

